Sebastian Wendel

Sebastian joins the Kansas Forest Service from the Blue Township Fire Department in Pottawatomie County, where he served as a Lieutenant and Quartermaster. In those roles, he responded to a wide range of incidents, including wildland and structure fires, rescue operations, and medical calls, and worked closely with mutual aid departments and regional emergency responders.

Originally from Neckarsulm in southwest Germany, Sebastian holds a B.S. in Biotechnology and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Kansas State University. While working with the School of Health Sciences at K-State, he coordinated multi-year research projects with national and international partners, prepared and submitted grant applications, and contributed to scientific publications. He brings strong organizational and communication skills to his work with the Kansas Forest Service.

In his current role, Sebastian supports fire departments across Kansas through management and assistance with the fire fleet, fire cache, and programs including VFA, FEPP, FPP, and EDP. He is based at the Kansas Forest Service State Office in Manhattan.

Sebastian lives near Manhattan with his family. Outside of work, he enjoys hunting, cooking, and spending time with his wife and five children.

sw87@ksu.edu
785-458-9746